Los Angeles County sheriff candidates

Sheriff’s candidate James Hellmold wants to build on the programs his former boss had right, while guarding against the leadership failures, he said, led to the department’s troubles.

Hellmold, who drove a car for former Sheriff Lee Baca and ascended to one of the highest-ranking posts in the department over his 25-year career, said many of the agency’s woes have already been fixed.

The Citizens’ Commission on Jail Violence, which Hellmold sat on, identified and found ways to decrease violence and abuse of jail inmates by deputies. The 46-year-old assistant sheriff said he wants the top spot to make sure the agency continues heading in the right direction.

“We need a sheriff who has the youthful energy to advance progressive ideas and the past 25 years of seeing mistakes” Hellmold said. “What’s not effective is business as usual, mass incarceration and overreaching for minor offensives, while major crimes run rampant.”

Before becoming assistant sheriff, Hellmold headed up the Sheriff’s Century substation in Lynwood, bringing homicides to their lowest level (two) in the 20 years before his arrival, he said.

The strategy, Hellmold said, was simple. He created groups of deputies and instructed them to focus on violent crimes and criminals.

If elected sheriff, Hellmold said, he would do the same throughout Los Angeles County.

“It’s a matter of setting priorities so we have the ability to be effective on serious crimes,” Hellmold said.“On lesser crimes, such as narcotic-related crimes, crimes that are traditionally known as nonviolent crimes, we don’t overreach; we focus on re-education.”

Re-educating inmates, Hellmold said, is one area former Sheriff Baca got right. And as sheriff, Hellmold said, he would look to expand classrooms inside jails.

But, Hellmold said, he would also focus his efforts in areas where his boss failed, namely holding deputies accountable for their actions.

Part of accomplishing that, Hellmold said, is more timely conclusions to investigations of deputy involved shootings.

“If you’re a deputy who’s not equipped with the calm nerves of knowing how to react, maybe you shouldn’t be on the front-line,” Hellmold said.

He would also grant the Board of Supervisors access to oversee the department. New Inspector General Max Huntsman, Hellmold said, should be more than just an outside observer. He wants Huntsman to have attorney client privilege — the ability to access all investigative records and form his own conclusions from a place of knowledge.

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Additionally, Hellmold said he would use his position to secure treatment for the mentally-ill, because deputies aren’t equipped to help the mentally sick.

While other candidates are promising their fresh perspectives will fix the department, Hellmold said he has the experience and know-how needed to do it.

“It’s my belief that there’s too many politicians in law enforcement and that’s been the problem,” Hellmold said. “I think it’s up to the public, do you want a politician as your next sheriff or a crime-fighter.”

JIM HELLMOLD

Age: 46

Residence: Covina

Experience: Assistant sheriff in charge of all patrol and detective divisions

Candidates were asked to briefly describe how they would reform L.A. County’s jail system and whether they would favor building new jails to expand capacity. Here are Hellmold’s responses:

After allegations of misconduct in the jails, I was brought in to work with the Jail Commission to implement reforms. We met with jail staff on every shift to establish clear expectations of conduct. We implemented policy, supervision, and training to strengthen performance, and developed inspectional oversight to ensure accountability.

No, my vision for public safety is not to expand jail capacity. I will reduce the cycle of crime and recidivism through a more progressive approach of diverting mentally ill and low level offenders into proper treatment facilities, while focusing our enforcement efforts on serious and violent crime.